Cuff.



B. s. NICHOLS.

CUFF.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1915.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

m hhl entree.

CUFF.

llJitiLdjlf.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Application filed February 3, 1915. Serial No. 5,823.

'0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BLANCHE S. NICHOLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New Britain, county of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cuffs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates called soft cufi. I

The object of the invention is to provide certain structural improvements whereby the cuff is caused to hold its intended shape.

The invention is also applicable to reversible soft ends.

in the drawings, view of the cuff as to an improved so- ]Figure 1 is a perspective it would appear in use,

parts of the cuff being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cufi open and with the flap extended and on a slightly reduced scale, parts of the cuff being broken away. Fig. 3 is a section on the plane of the line 33 relatively enlarged. Fig; 4 is a section on the same plane with the forward part or flap of the cuff folded back as in use.

The cuff comprises what I may term the main body or wrist portion 1 and the foldable portion or flap 2. These two parts are provided with the usual buttonholes. It is well known that in laundrying soft cuffs practically no starch is used, with the result that in service such cuffs very quickly became wrinkled, particularly' that part of the cuff which lies adjacent to the upper side of the wrist. If a cuff becomes wrinkled in this locality it presents a noticeably unsightly appearance. To prevent this I have provided an improved flexible reinforcing means in this locality which lends that degree of stiffness to the cuff necessary to preserve its appearance without being uncomfortable.

In the drawings I have shown the cuff partly broken away so as to expose the reinforcing means, which in this specific instance comprises, by preference, two slightly spaced members 3 and 4 of appropriate flexible reinforcing material, preferably hair cloth in which the hairs are arranged so as to run parallel with the arm or wrist of the wearer. The ends of each of the re-' inforcing pieces 3 and 4 are suitably formed, or covered, so as to hold the individual hairs from independent endwise movement, thus preventing one or more of the hair ends from penetrating the material of thecuff to the discomfort of the wearer. By provid-v mg two slightly spaced reinforcing members 3 and i near the middle of the cuff, instead of one continuous memberof substantially the area of the aforesaid two pieces, the cuff very readily conforms to the wrist of the wearer when applied, since said cuff may readily bend along the line of separation between said two members. The reinforcmg means is preferably located between the plies of the main body 1 rather than between the plies of the flap 2, because, in orderto secure the best results, it is desirable that the outer fold of the cuff should be relatively soft and unreinforced throughout, save as it is supported and held in shape by the underlying reinforced main body portion 1. It follows that since the underlying main body portion cannot readily become wrinkled, but tends to remain fiat, the outer fold will preserve an attractive appearance. 'Again, by placing the reinforcement within the main body 1 of the cuff, its location therein determines definitely the width of the fold and the line upon which the cuff is bent to conform most comfortably to the shape of the wrist. These cuffs may be attached to the shirt sleeve in any desired way, said shirt sleeve being indicated in dotted outline at 5.

While of course any number of reinforcing members may be employed, I have found that the best results are obtained by employing two relatively small pieces located in the manner above described. The reinforcing pieces may be fastened in place in any desired manner, as for example, by stitches. I have also ascertained that the greatest comfort is assured by leaving those parts of the cuff where the buttonholes are provided unreinforced by special reinforcing members.

While the reinforcing means is always flexible in every direction, it is relatively less yieldin in that direction which would cause the on to become wrinkled than it is in the direction in which it is bent in the act of applying the cuff to the wrist. In this latterdirection it always bends freely so that its presence cannot be detected byany unsightly bulging of the cuff when being worn.

What I claim is: 1. A cuff comprisin portion arranged to I united with the cuff, said reinforcing means be folded back upon the main body portion,

a yielding reinforcing means permanently united with the cuff, said reinforcing means being relatively less yielding in one direction than the other, said reinforcing means .being located adjacent the middle portion only of the cuff.

2. A cuff comprising a main body portion extended into a second portion arranged to be folded back upon the main body portion, a yielding reinforcing means permanently member and located only of the cuff.

3. A cufl comprisin a main body portion extended into a secon portion constituting 21 a flap arranged to befolded back upon the main body portion, a yielding reinforcing means permanently united with the main body'portion only and arranged to prevent the cuff from becoming wrinkled, said rein- 2t forcing means being located only near the middle of the body portion, the ends of said body portion bein relatively unreinforced.

BL N CHE S. NICHOLS.

Witnesses: a

W. J. WORAM, L. E. KRANOINTZ.

to the middle portion 

